History

Originally designated Shefford & District Upper School, it was as Samuel Whitbread Upper School that it opened on a purpose-built site on the 4th September 1973, as part of Bedfordshire County Council's re-organisation into a 3-tier, non-selective school system. Adult education provision was in place from the beginning under Mr Gordon Ainscough, but the name of the institution was not changed to Samuel Whitbread Upper School and Community College until 1975 (when the 'Headmaster' became the 'Head') and it became Samuel Whitbread Community College, (led by a 'Principal') at some point in the late 90s.
The Headmaster when the school opened was Mr Kenneth Dodsworth, and the Chairman of Governors was Alderman W. Inskip.
The original intention was for the school to have an eventual roll of 1100, drawn from the existing secondary modern schools Robert Bloomfield and Etonbury, which were to become middle schools, and from 1975, a planned purpose-built Henlow Middle School.
There were 457 pupils when the school was opened: 249 in what was then '3rd Year' (now known as Year 9) from the Robert Bloomfield and Etonbury Schools; 94 in the '4th Year' (Year 10) and 117 in the 5th Year (Year 11) who were from Robert Bloomfield only. A vestigial 6th Form of 5 former Robert Bloomfield pupils was enrolled, although 6th form courses were not yet in place.
30 teachers were employed in September 1973, the last of whom retired in 2007, at that time there were 25 support staff, including 8 cleaners and 9 kitchen assistants.